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>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT. GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. IF YOU CAN PLEASE TAKE YOUR SEATS, WE'LL GO AHEAD AND START. THE TIME IS 2:05 P.M. ON AUGUST 16TH, 2024.
WWE'LL CALL OUR GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MEETING TO ORDER.
MADAM CLERK, COULD YOU READ THE ROLL? >> CLERK:
MAYOR, WE HAVE QUORUM. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT.
WELCOME, EVERYONE. WE HAVE A SINGLE PRESENTATION TODAY, BUT MULTIPLE CONSIDERATION REQUESTS. BEFORE WE GET TO THAT, THOUGH, THERE IS APPROVAL OF THE CITY COUNCIL GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES OF JUNE 26, 2024.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR APPROVAL OF MINUTES UNDER ITEM 1.
ANY DISCUSSION? HEARING NONE, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE.
(AYES.) >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. OKAY. ERIK, I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO YOU, JUST TO CLARIFY, THIS WILL BE ONE PRESENTATION AND THEN WE'LL HAVE PROBABLY MULTIPLE ROUND CONVERSATION.
>> WALSH: YES, SIR. THANK YOU, MAYOR, GOOD AFTERNOON COMMITTEE MEMBERS. YEAH, A WHOLE SERIES OF PRESENTATIONS.
WE'LL START OFF WITH ACTUALLY MR. PETEREK WILL KICK OFF OUR
PRESENTATION. >> PETEREK: GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE.
I'M GOING TO SKIP A FEW SLIDES, WHEN YOU GET IT PULLED UP.
I THINK THE CLERK -- WE'LL COME BACK TO YOU, IS THAT THE PLAN?
>> WALSH: DEBBIE, ARE YOU GOING TO DO THE PLANNING COMMISSION ONE?
>> PETEREK: NO, IT'S OKAY. I DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WAS AN AUDIBLE, I DIDN'T KNOW --
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, JAIME NIETO, ASSISTANT CITY CLERK.
COUNCILMAN VIAGRAN [INDISCERNIBLE] THE CCR HAS TWO REQUESTS FOR CITY STAFF. THE FIRST REQUEST IS FOR THE OFFICE OF ST. CITY CLERK TO INCREASE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND IT LISTS ITS APPLICATIONS FOR ALL AREAS OF THE CITY. CURRENTLY, THE OFFICE OF CITY CLERK FOLLOWS SECTION 2-538 OF THE CITY CODE.
THE CITY CLERK'S OFFICE COLLABORATES WITH THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DEPARTMENT ON ADVERTISING BOARD AND COMMISSION VACANCIES.
BY POSTING ON THE CITY'S WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, TVSA CHANNEL AND PROVIDING THE DEPARTMENT WITH A FLYER. THE SECOND REQUEST IS FOR STAFF TO EXPLORE OPTIONS AND DEVELOP AN ORDINANCE ESTABLISHING PROCESSES THAT ALLOWS CITY -- I'M SORRY, THAT ALLOWS COUNCIL TO ENSURE DIVERSE REPRESENTATION ON THE COMMISSION. THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS CREATED BY THE CITY CHARTER, AND THERE ARE STATE LAWS THAT REGULATE THE CITY PLANNING BOARDS. STAFF RECOMMENDS REFERRING THIS ITEM TO THE PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
COMMITTEE TO EVALUATE OPTIONS. >> PETEREK: AGAIN, GOOD AFTERNOON, MAYOR AND COUNCIL. JOHN PETEREK, WE'LL START WITH THE NEXT ITEM WHICH IS IN THE QUEUE. THIS IS A CCR FROM COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO LARDING THE NAME OF AN UNNAMED PIECE OF ALLEY RIGHT NOW, THE CCR CALLS FOR NAMING THAT ALLEY BETWEEN FUENTES-SANCHEZ ALLEY. IT'S INTENDED TO HONOR EMILIO FUENTES, ENRIQUE AND ISABELA SANCHEZ WHO WERE ALL ACTIVE IN GETTING STUDENTS SUCCESS IN EDUCATION THERE. WAS A COMMUNITY MEETING HELD ON AUGUST 8TH AND THERE WAS NO OPPOSITION. THIS APPROVAL WOULD NOT CAUSE ANY ADDRESS CHANGES BECAUSE IT'S NOT CURRENTLY A NAMED STREET.
STAFF RECOMMENDS THAT DSD CONTINUE WITH THE REVIEW PROCESS, THAT INCLUDES HISTORIC, DESIGN AND COMMISSION REVIEWAL, PLANNING COMMISSION REVIEW AND THEN ULTIMATELY CITY COUNCIL. SO THE NEXT STEP FOR THIS ITEM WILL BE ON THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA, AND THAT'S OUR RECOMMENDATION. THE NEXT ITEM IS A CCR FROM COUNCIL DISTRICT ONE, AND THIS CCR AIMS TO IMPROVE THE ACCURACY, EFFECTIVENESS AND THE EXPEDIENCY OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS, SPECIFICALLY THE CCR REQUESTS THAT UTILITY COMPANIES MAINTAIN ACCURATE, AS-BUILT RECORDS OF THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE WITHIN THE CITY RIGHT OF WAY, SO UNDERGROUND UTILITIES. IT ENCOURAGES UTILITY COMPANIES TO INCREASE, DESIGN AND PLANNING EFFORTS FOR THE DELIVERY OF THOSE CAPITAL PROJECTS
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AND IT ASKS FOR THE CITY TO TAKE THE LEAD ON SUBSURFACE UTILITY ENGINEERING ON THE PROJECTS. IT ALSO ENCOURAGES UTILITY COMPANIES TO BUDGET FOR THESE COSTS AND REIMBURSE THE CITY FOR THOSE. ONE METHOD OF SUBSURFACE UTILITY ENGINEERING IS CALLED POTHOLING, IT INCLUDES DIGGING SMALL HOLES WITHIN THE PROJECT AREA TO BOTH VISUALLY VERIFY THE LOCATION OF THE UTILITIES, BUT ALSO TO GET CORRECT ELEVATIONS, CORRECT LATITUDES AND LONGITUDES, TO DISCOVER ANY UNEXPECTED PIPES, THOSE SORT OF THINGS.SO THAT'S WHAT THIS REQUEST IS CENTERED ON, THOSE KINDS OF EFFORTS.
SOME POTENTIAL BENEFITS INCLUDE MORE EFFICIENT CONSTRUCTION ONCE DESIGN IS VERY ACCURATE, AND IT WOULD MINIMIZE DISRUPTION TO RESIDENTS, VISITORS, LOCAL BUSINESSES ALONG CONSTRUCTION CORRIDORS. THERE'S SOME OF WHAT WE DO TODAY AND SOME OF WHAT WE'RE GOING TO WORK TO DO.
STAFF RECOMMENDS TAKING THIS ITEM TO INFRASTRUCTURE AND TRAFFIC COMMITTEE FOR REVIEW. I'LL TURN THIS PRESENTATION OVER TO LORI. HEUDZ GOOD AFTERNOON, LORI HOUSTON, ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER, AND TODAY'S ITEM NUMBER FIVE TALKS ABOUT COMMUNITY LAND TRUST THAT WOULD BE TIERED, AND IT WOULD BE AN AFFORDABILITY POLICY. SO COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO SUBMITTED THIS CCR ON JUNE 12TH, AND WHAT THE DIRECTION IN THE CCR WAS TO PRIORITIZE DISPOSITION OF CITY-OWNED LOTS TO COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS THAT DEMONSTRATE A HISTORY OR INTENT TO DEVELOP DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HAVE CAPACITY TO REDEVELOP PROPERTIES, AND HAVE A GOVERNING STRUCTURE THAT PROVIDES EFFECTIVE REPRESENTATION OF -- AND GOVERNING POWERS FOR TENANTS, STAFF AND RESIDENTS. WHEN DISPOSING OF PROPERTY TO CLTS, WE PRIORITIZE PROPOSALS BASED ON AFFORDABILITY SUCH AS PRIORITIZE 30% AND BELOW, 31 TO 50% AMI, 51 TO 60, AND 61 TO 80% AND OVER 80% AM IMPRISONMENT, AND THIS WOULD BE CON TIN GENT UPON THE AREA AND WHAT IS REFLECTED IN THE SA TOMORROW PLAN OR ANY OTHER NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN.
THE CCR REQUEST WE CREATE A POLICY FOR DISPOSING CITY-OWNED LAND TO LOCAL COMMUNITY LAND TRUST FOR THE CREATION OF DEEPLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS IDENTIFIED IN THE STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, AND ACTUALLY THIS STRATEGY QUUS WAS IDENTIFIED FOR IMPLEMENTATION THIS FISCAL YEAR, SO THIS IS IN LINE WITH THE TIMING THAT THE THE SHIP CALLED FOR. INITIATIVES UNDER DEVELOPMENT WOULD THIS WOULD HELP WITH OUR STRATEGIC PROPERTY ACQUISITION, OUR TRANSIT DEVELOPMENT AND OUR COMMUNITY LAND TRUST ORGANIZATION. THE NEXT STEP IS WE'D LIKE TO BRING THIS FA FORWARD TO THE PLANNING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE FOR VETTING AND A DISCUSSION BEFORE WE MOVE FORWARD TO THE K CREATION OF AN ACTUAL POLICY. I ALSO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF PRESENTING THE NEXT ITEM WHICH IS STAY SA, WHICH WOULD BE AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING BONUS PROGRAM TO SUPPORT EQUITABLE CONSTRUCTION. THIS CCR WAS ALSO SUBMITTED BY DISTRICT FIVE, THE BACKGROUND IS THAT WE DO NEED HOUSING AFFORDABILITY , AND IT IS A MAIN PRIORITY FOR OUR RESIDENTS.
WE COULD USE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS SUCH AS DENSITY BONUS PROGRAMS TO HELP CREATE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS, AND WE SHOULD EXPLORE THIS TOOL AND CREATE A PROGRAM. THE CCR SPECIFICALLY REQUESTS STAFF TO DO THIS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE HOUSING COMMISSION AND DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS FOR BONUS PROGRAMS, SIMILAR TO WHAT'S DONE IN AFFORDABILITY UNLOCKED IN AUSTIN, THE UNIVERSITY OVERHEAD OVERLAY, A PROGRAM IN CHICAGO OR OTHERS RELATED TO PIDS, DOWNTOWN BUSINESS DISTRICT AND REGIONAL CENTERS, PROPOSED FEES WOULD GO TO THE SAN ANTONIO HOUSING TRUST OR THE OPPORTUNITY HOME SAN ANTONIO. SO FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT A DENSITY BONUS PROGRAM IS, IT'S AN INCENTIVE THAT WOULD FACILITATE MORE AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS BY ALLOWING MORE DENSITY OR A FEE IN LIEU OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING TO A PROJECT.
SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS IS WHAT A PROGRAM COULD -- THIS IS WHAT A PROJECT LOOKS WITHOUT A BONUS, YOU COULD ADD MORE DENSITY TO THAT PROGRAM, AND YOU COULD GET MORE AFFORDABILITY. AND YOU COULD ALSO INSTEAD IF THEY'RE NOT WILLING TO DO THE DENSITY, PROVIDE A FEE IN LIEU OF PROVIDING THAT DENSITY. SO UNLOCKED AFFORDABILITY
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IN AUSTIN, THEY DO CITYWIDE ALL RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL ZONES.THEY PROVIDE AN AFFORDABILITY BONUS, AT LEAST 50% OF UNITS ARE AFFORDABLE FOR AT LEAST 40 YEARS. THETHE UNO PROGRAM IN AUSTIN, AT LEAST 50% ARE AFFORDABLE IN ADDITIONS WITH FEE IN LIEU.
REALLY SIMPLE EXAMPLE, IF YOU HAVE A PROPERTY IN DISTRICT FOUR THAT'S ZONED MF-40, WE MAY LET THE DEVELOPER GO TO MF60 IN EXCHANGE FOR INCLUDING AFFORDABILITY IN THAT PROJECT. AND TO DO THAT, WE WOULD SAY, OKAY, YOU COULD BUILD BOTH MARKET RATE AND MORE AFFORDABLE UNITS PROVIDED YOU DO 10 TO 20% AFFORDABILITY. AND THAT IS WHAT A BONUS PROGRAM IS. WE COULD ALSO ALLOW THEM TO DO MORE DENSITY, AND MAYBE THEY DON'T WANT TO DO THE AFFORDABILITY, BUT THEY HAVE TO PAY A FEE INTO A FUND IN LIEU OF BUILDING THAT AFFORDABILITY.
SO THOSE ARE ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT WE WOULD EXPLORE, AND WE'D REICH TO LIKE TO HAVE THIS DISCUSSION AT PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WHERE WE WOULD BRING FORWARD THE PROGRAM IDEA, REVIEW THE LEGALITIES ASSOCIATED WITH IT, TALK ABOUT WHAT STAKEHOLDERS SHOULD BE ENGAGED AND ALSO LOOK TO WHETHER OR NOT THIS ALIGNS WITH THE CITY PRIORITIES AND THE COMMUNITY SURVEY AND THEN HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT WHAT A BONUS COULD LOOK LIKE IN SAN ANTONIO, BEFORE WE GO OUT AND DRAFT THAT BONUS, BUT WE'D RETURN TO THE PCDC WITH THE DRAFTING OF THE BONUS. FIRST STEP IS TO GO TO PCDC AND HAVE A DISCUSSION. I'M GOING TO PASS IT ON TO MARIA VILLAGOMEZ TO
TALK ABOUT ELDER FRAUD PREVENTION. >> VILLAGOMEZ: THANK YOU, LORI. GOOD AFTERNOON. SO THE NEXT ITEM HAS TO DO WITH A CCR THAT WAS FILED BY COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ, AND JUST TO GIVE SOME BACKGROUND, SAN ANTONIO OLDER RESIDENTS FROM EVERY COUNCIL DISTRICT IN OUR COMMUNITY ARE BEING TARGETED BY INDIVIDUALS FROM THROUGHOUT THE GLOBE. AND THESE INDIVIDUALS ARE TARGETED IN VARIOUS FORMS OF FRAUDULENT ACTIVITIES, MAINLY DUE TO THE FUNDS THAT THEY HAVE, PERHAPS BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE THE NECESSARY EDUCATION TO BE ABLE TO REQUEST ASSISTANCE. AND ALSO BECAUSE THEY HAVE COGNITIVE DECLINES ASSOCIATED WITH AGING. SO WITH THE CCR REQUEST IS A CREATION OF A CITYWIDE EDUCATION CAMPAIGN TO PROVIDE EDUCATION TO THOSE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY TO BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THOSE SCAMS, SEEK ASSISTANCE AND REPORT FRAUD.
ADDITIONALLY, THE CCR REQUESTS A CREATION OF AN ELDER FRAUD TASK FORCE THAT WORKS JOINTLY WITH THE COUNTY AND OTHER ENTITIES, AS WELL AS TO MAKE IT A PRIORITY TO MAKE SOME LEGISLATIVE CHANGES AT THE STATE LEVEL TO BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. SO IN TERMS OF BACK AS WELL, AND I WANT TO RECOGNIZE HERE WITH US TODAY, WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PARTNERS, [INDISCERNIBLE] JOSE MENENDEZ AND BEXAR COUNTY JUDGE VASQUEZ WHO ACTUALLY CREATED AN ELDER ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION TASK FORCE BACK IN 2020. THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, THROUGH THE SAN ANTONIO POLICE DEPARTMENT, AS WELL AS OUR HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT, HAVE BEEN MEMBERS OF THIS TASK FORCE AND WORK TOGETHER, THEY MEET MONTHLY, AND THEY ADDRESS SEVERAL ISSUES THAT IMPACT OUR ELDER COMMUNITY.
AND THE MAIN GOAL OF THE TASK FORCE IS TO BE A COHESION ABOUT THE VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE'RE ALL WORKING AND ADDRESSING ISSUES TO HELP OUR ELDER COMMUNITY HERE IN NOT ONLY SAN ANTONIO, BUT IN BEXAR COUNTY, PREVENTATIVE PROGRAMS AS WELL AS STRATEGIES FOR INTERVENTION AND BEING ABLE TO ADDRESS THOSE CRIMES THAT ARE HAPPENING IN OUR COMMUNITY. AND ALSO EDUCATE THE COMMUNITY, ESPECIALLY OUR ELDER COMMUNITY, ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITIES AND SERVICES THAT WE HAVE HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. SO WHAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING IS THAT THE CITY CONTINUES TO COLLABORATE WITH THE COUNTY THROUGH THIS EXISTING ELDER ABUSE AND EXPLOITATION TASK FORCE. THIS COLLABORATIVE EFFORT WILL HOLD ALSO THE WORK OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND OTHER ENTITIES, DEPENDING ON THE TOPICS THAT ARE BEING DISCUSSED.
A GOOD EXAMPLE THAT WE HAVE IS OUR COLLABORATIVE ON DOMESTIC VIOLENCE THAT IS A HELPFUL TOOL FOR US TO BE ABLE TO COORDINATE WITH BEXAR COUNTY, BECAUSE WE ARE FACING THE SAME ISSUES AND WE'RE SERVING THE SAME
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COMMUNITY. WHAT WE ALSO RECOMMEND IS THAT THE WORK OF THIS TASK FORCE BE PRESENTED TO OUR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS, A CCR CALLS FOR A REPORT TO THE COUNCIL, SO WE FEEL THIS WOULD BE A WAY TO ADDRESS THAT. AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, OUR PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE MEETS NEXT TUESDAY, AND ONE OF THE TOPICS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE DISCUSSING IS ANOTHER CCR ON ELDER ABUSE REPORTING.SO OUR RECOMMENDATION IS THAT WE COMBINE THE EFFORTS OF THE 2CCRS, THAT WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH THE TASK FORCE IN BEING ABLE TO ADDRESS THIS CCR OF COUNCILMAN PELAEZ. ALSO THROUGH THE WORK WITH THE TASK FORCE, WE WILL BE ADDRESSING THE EDUCATION CAMPAIGN THAT IS REQUESTED. WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY WORKING WITH ALL THE SENIORS IN OUR SENIOR CENTERS AND ALSO COLLABORATING WITH THE COUNTY TO BE ABLE TO ENHANCE THE INFORMATION THAT WE CURRENTLY PROVIDE. AND ALSO THAT WE -- AS WE START TALKING ABOUT OUR PRIORITIES FOR THE NEXT STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATIVE AGENDAS, THAT WE HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH THE IGR COMMITTEE TO MAKE THIS A PRIORITY AS WE BEGIN THAT PROCESS. SO I'M GOING TO MOVE ON TO THE NEXT CCR, AND THIS IS A CCR ON ZERO BASE BUDGET. AS A WAY OF BACKGROUND, THE CCR WAS FILED BY COUNCILMAN WHYTE. THE CCR REQUESTS AN ORDINANCE REQUIRING ALL CITY DEPARTMENTS TO ADOPT A ZERO-BASED BUDGET METHODOLOGY FOR THE FISCAL YEAR 2027, AND THEN REPEAT THAT EFFORT EVERY FIVE YEARS. THE CCR CALLS THAT THE FISCAL YEAR '27 BUDGET CYCLE WILL BE FOCUSED ON GENERAL FUND DEPARTMENTS, DEVELOPMENT SERVICES, SOLID WASTE AND PARKS, AND THAT A REPORT FROM THE CITY STAFF SHALL BE DELIVERED TO THE CITY COUNCIL ON IMPLEMENTATION EFFORTS BY MARCH OF 2026. SO JUST TO GIVE SOME CONTEXT ON THE COMPONENTS OF ZBB, SO UNDER THE ZBB, EACH DEPARTMENT WILL RANK EACH PROGRAM BY ORDER OF IMPORTANCE TO THEIR DEPARTMENT, EXAMINE THE CURRENT DEPARTMENT OBJECTIVES AND BE REFLECTIVE OF THE RESIDENTS AND CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES, AND EXPLORE ALTERNATIVES TO EXECUTE THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE AND COLLABORATE WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS. THEY ALSO WILL PROVIDE A SUMMARY, AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROGRAM'S PURPOSE, KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATE FORFORS AS WELL AS EXPENSES, THIS IS WHAT THE CCR IS CALLING FOR.
NOW, JUST TO GIVE SOME CONTEXT ON THE RESEARCH WE HAVE DONE.
WHAT IS ZERO BASE BUDGETING? IN THEORY, IT'S FROM THE BUDGET IS BUILT FROM THE GROUND UP AND JUSTIFY EVERY SINGLE EXPENSE.
THIS IS NOT A NEW CONCEPT, THIS WAS A CONCEPT INTRODUCED BACK IN THE '70S. THE WAY THAT IT IS DONE IS EACH UNIT OF SERVICE OR PROGRAM IS IDENTIFIED WITH THE ASSOCIATED COST, EACH OF THE UNITS HAS TO QUANTIFY THEIR IMPACT AND THE PERFORMANCE METRICS, AND THEN THE PRODUCT IS THREE DECISION PACKAGES, WHAT IS CALLED A CORE PACKET, A CURRENT AND ENHANCED. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE DID THROUGH OUR OFFICE OF INNOVATION IS THAT WE LOOKED AT OTHER CITIES, AND WHO HAS DONE THIS TYPE OF WORK. AND SOME OF THE -- WORK, THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO AND THE CITY OF HOUSTON, THEY -- THEY STARTED THE PROGRAM. HOUSTON ACTUALLY MOVED FROM ZERO-BASED BUDGETING TO OUTCOMES-BASED BUDGETING. THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO PILOTED AND IS USING ZERO-BASED BUDGETING FOR SOME OF THEIR SERVICES, BUT NOT FOR THE ENTIRE BUDGET, BUT SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE LEARNED, AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE CITY OF SAN DIEGO DID SPECIFICALLY, WHEN THEY DEVELOPED THOSE DECISION PACKAGES, THE CORE PACKET INCLUDES THE DEPARTMENT'S CORE SERVICES THAT ARE MANDATORY.
SO THAT MEANS THAT THEY LOOKED AT THE CITY CHARTER, LOCAL ORDINANCE, STATE AND FEDERAL AUTHORITIES AND SAID THESE ARE THE SERVICES THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO DO, THAT IS THE CORE. AND THEN THE SECOND LEVEL WAS THOSE SERVICES THAT ARE OVER AND ABOVE THE CORE, SO COMBINE THE CORE AND THE CURRENT, THOSE WOULD BE ALL THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY A LOCAL GOVERNMENT. AND THEN THE LAST PHASE IS IDENTIFY WAYS TO ENHANCE THOSE SERVICES OR PERHAPS TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND IDENTIFY
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SAVINGS. NOW, THE ZERO-BASED BUDGET IN PRACTICE IS RARE, AS I MENTIONED. THERE HAVE BEEN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS THAT HAVE BORROWED ELEMENTS OF ZERO-BASED BUDGETS, FOR INSTANCE, SOME HAVE DONE ZERO LINE FOCUSED BUDGETS. SOME HAVE ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS, ARE THE INPUTS REASONABLE REGARDING SUSPECTED OUTCOMES? THEN THE OTHER MODIFICATION THAT HAS BEEN USED IS THE SERVICE LEVEL BUDGETING, AND THIS FOCUSES ON ANSWERING THE QUESTION, WHAT LEVEL OF SERVICE SHOULD WE BE FUNDING WITHIN A PROGRAM? SO DEPARTMENTS PRESENT DECISION PACKAGES AND SERVICE LEVELS WITH ASSOCIATED METRICS, SO THERE IS LESS EMPHASIS ON THE INPUT AND THERE'S MORE EMPHASIS ON THE LEVEL OF SERVICE. SO THOSE ARE SOME -- WHAT OTHER LOCAL GOVERNMENTS HAVE USED INSTEAD OF USING THE THEORETICAL ZERO-BASED BUDGETING. NOW, THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES, THE ADVANTAGES IS THAT IT'S& RATIONAL AND IT'S A COMPREHENSIVE MEANS FOR CUTTING A BUDGET; MOVES AWAY FROM INCREMENTAL BUDGETING, GIVES DECISION-MAKERS INSIGHT MORE INTO THE OPERATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT AND HIGHLIGHTS ENTIRELY NEW WAYS OF PROVIDING SERVICES.AND ALSO ENGAGES LOWER LEVEL OF MANAGEMENT IN BUDGETING.
THE DISADVANTAGES IS THAT IT REQUIRES A SUBSTANTIAL TIME COMMITMENT FROM THOSE DEVELOPING THOSE BUDGETS. BUDGET DECISIONS ARE OFTEN DRIVEN BY MANAGEMENT PERCEPTION, SO IN THE CASE OF A LOCAL GOVERNMENT, IT WOULD BE A DEPARTMENT DIRECTOR. AND TYPICALLY, DO NOT REFLECT THE VIEWS OF THE LONG-TERM PRIORITIES OF ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THESE ARE THE DEPARTMENTS PRESENTING THEIR PERCEPTIONS. MANAGERS MAY BE RELUCTANT TO PRIORITIZE SERVICES OR OVEREFFICIENCIS, AND IT DOESN'T HAVE A PLANNING PROCESS THAT IS SEPARATE FROM BUDGETING. SO THAT'S WHAT WE FOUND FROM THE RESEARCH.
NOW, AS WE MOVE INTO WHAT WE ARE GOING TO BE RECOMMENDING TO THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE TODAY, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE RESEARCH ARE THE ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS OF PLANNING AND BUDGETING, SEPARATE, BUT THEY GO HAND IN HAND. SO THE PREREQUISITE FOR THIS QUESTION SAYS WHAT IS AFFORDABLE? HOW MUCH MONEY WE HAVE TO WORK WITH TO BEGIN WITH. THE PLANNING QUESTIONS ARE WHAT ARE THE COMMUNITY PRIORITIES AND HOW CAN THE GOVERNMENT ADD VALUE THROUGH THOSE PRIORITIES? THAT'S THE PLANNING PIECE.
THE BUDGET PIECE IS GOING TO FOCUS ON WHAT PROGRAM SHOULD WE FUND IN ORDER TO BEST ACHIEVE THE PRIORITIES. ON THE PLANNING PHASE, HOW MUCH AND WHAT QUALITY OF SERVICES DOES THE COMMUNITY NEED IN A GIVEN PROGRAM. THAT IS TYPICALLY THE ROLE OF THE ELECTED OFFICIAL, WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING FROM -- FROM THE CITY DEPARTMENTS.
OUR WORK IN THE BUDGET IS WHAT LEVEL OF SERVICE SHOULD WE FUND WITHIN A PROGRAM. THE LAST QUESTION IS -- IS A SERVICE PROVIDED AT AN EFFICIENT -- IN AN EFFICIENT WAY, AND IN THE BUDGETING SIDE FOR A GIVEN SERVICE LEVEL ARE THE REQUESTED INPUTS REASONABLE FOR THE OUTPUT THAT WE EXPECT TO ACHIEVE. SO HAND IN HAND, THOSE QUESTIONS, BUT DIFFERENT. SO WE LOOKED AT OTHER BUDGET METHODOLOGIES, IN ADDITION TO SIER ROW-BASED BUDGETING AND WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING THREE, PRIORITY-BASED BUDGETING, PERFORMANCE-BASED BUDGETING AND OUTCOMES-BASED BUDGETING.
PRYOR TIE-BASED BUDGETS PRIORITIZES SERVICES BASED ON COMMUNITY PRIORITIES. PERFORMANCE-BASED BUDGETS FOCUSES ON MEASURABLE OBJECTIVES. AND OUTCOMES-BASED BUDGETING REQUIRES LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TO THINK ABOUT WHAT ARE THE -- ELECTED OFFICIALS WANT TO SEE, WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS TO SEE AND THOSE EXPECTED OUTCOME. IT ALSO SETS PRIORITIES FOR REGULAR MONITORING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE DELIVERING TOWARDS THOSE SUSPECTED OUTCOMES.
SO WHAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING IS A HYBRID METHOD THAT INCORPORATES SOME COMPONENTS OF ZERO-BASED BUDGETING PRINCIPLES WITH OUTCOMES-BASED BUDGETING THAT FOCUSES ON COMMUNITY AND CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES, SO, THEREFORE, ALSO USING PIECES OF PRIORITY-BASED BUDGETING. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING FROM THE ZERO-BASED BUDGETING PRINCIPLES IS TO DO A REVIEW OF ALL THE CITY PROGRAMS AND DETERMINE THE CORE SERVICES. WHAT ARE THOSE SERVICES THAT WE ARE PROVIDING THAT ARE REQUIRED BY CITY CHARTER, LOCAL ORDINANCE,
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STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS? WE ALSO ARE RECOMMENDING TO MAKE SURE THAT WE -- THE ELECTED BODY, CITY COUNCIL, SET SERVICE PRIORITIES THAT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES OF THE COMMUNITY, AND WHAT ARE THE DESIRED OUTCOMES THAT YOU WANT US TO ACHIEVE. WE HAVE MANY STRATEGIC PLANS AND MULTIYEAR PLANS WHERE WE HAVE COUNCIL DIRN IN WHAT IS EXPECTED, AND THEN THE BUDGETS WILL BE BUILT TO ACHIEVE THOSE DESIRED OUTCOMES.NOW, ONE OF THE HIGHLIGHTS THAT BE WE WANT TO MAKE, WHEN YOU LOOK AT ZERO-BASED BUDGETING, YOU MAY BE ASKING THE QUESTION, WHAT DO WE CUT? ON PRIORITY-BASED BUDGETING, REALLY THE QUESTION IS, WHAT SERVICES DO WE WANT TO KEEP, NOT WHAT SERVICES WE WANT TO CUT. SO WE WOULD NEED ASSISTANCE FROM CONSULTANTS TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP AND TRANSITION OUR CURRENT BUDGETING INTO WHAT I JUST DESCRIBED. AND WHAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING TO THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE IS WE DEVELOP -- WE STAFF DEVELOP AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN THAT WE PRESENT TO THE FULL CITY COUNCIL AS PART OF THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 NET YEAR, WE TYPICALLY DO THIS IN MARCH AND APRIL. AND PROVIDE AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN SO WE WILL BE DOING THIS AHEAD OF WHAT THE CCR REQUEST, WHICH IS IN FISCAL YEAR '26. SO THAT IS OUR RECOMMENDATION, AND I'M
GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO ERIK. >> WALSH: SO LET ME JUST ADD A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THIS LAST ITEM, AND -- AND KIND OF EMPHASIZE WHAT -- HOW MARIA ENDED IT. IT KIND OF TAILS INTO PART OF MY PRESENTATION YESTERDAY. AS WE CONTINUE TO BE IN THE POSITION WHERE WE WILL NEED TO MANAGE OUR EXPENSES AS IT RELATES TO OUR REVENUE, WE'RE RECOMMENDING THAT WE BEGIN NOW AND PROVIDE THAT REPORT IN THE SPRING OF '25, TO BEGIN IMPLEMENTATION.
BECAUSE AS MARIA LAID OUT, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT METHODOLOGIES. THE CORE PRINCIPLES ARE AROUND PRIORITIES AND INPUT AND OUTCOMES, AND THERE'S A VARIETY OF METHODS THAT CAN BE USED. AND THE ANALOGY I'LL USE FOR WORLD WAR II AFICIONADOS, THE ALLIES DID NOT LAND ON ONE BEACH DURING D DAY, THEY LANDED ON FIVE. SO THERE ARE MULTIPLE METHODOLOGIES, INCLUDING PARTS OF ZERO-BASED BUDGETING THAT WE SHOULD EMPLOY AS WE CONTINUE TO BE EFFICIENT AND MANAGE OUR OVERALL EXPENSES. AND LIKE THE BOARDING HOME EX EXAMPLE I GAVE YOU YESTERDAY AS PART OF THE CHANGE IN THE PROPOSED BUDGET, THERE ARE PROGRAMS THAT WERE INITIATED BY THE CITY IN THE PAST THAT, OVER TIME, HAVE BECOME LESS PRIORITIES -- OR LESS -- MORE LESS OF A PRIORITY, HAVE LESS DEMAND, AND MOW WHOW WE LOOK AT THOSE THINGS IS GOING TO BE CRITICAL GOING FORWARD.
SO WE ARE -- BELIEVE THAT WE SHOULD BEGIN THAT PROCESS AS THE TWO-YEAR BALANCED BUDGET THAT GOT LAID OUT YESTERDAY NOTES.
THERE'S $8.2 MILLION THAT WE NEED TO BEGIN TO MANAGE IN FISCAL YEAR '25 FOR FISCAL YEAR '26, AND AS I INCORPORATED THAT IN YESTERDAY'S PRESENTATION, THAT'S A MARKER THAT WE'LL KEEP THE COUNCIL APPRIZED AS WE DO OUR QUARTERLY REPORTS. THANKS, MAYOR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, EVERYBODY, FOR THE PRESENTATIONS. WE DO HAVE A FEW COUNCILMEMBERS WHO ARE HERE, AS AUTHORS OF THESE CCRS, SO I'M GOING TO CAL THEM FIRST BEFORE WE GET INTO OUR COUNCIL DISCUSSION. ONCE WE BEGIN OUR COUNCIL DISCUSSION, WE CAN'T DISCUSS WITH ADDITIONAL COLLEAGUES BECAUSE THEN IT WOULD VIOLATE A QUORUM. SO LET ME GO AHEAD AND ASK FOR COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN, WHO SUBMITTED THE ITEM NUMBER 2.
>> VIAGRAN: THANK YOU, MAYOR, AND THANK YOU, COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND COLLEAGUES. I JUST WANTED TO TALK ON ITEM 2, MY CCR, FOR LOOKING AT DIVERSITY IN THE PLANNING COMMITTEE, AND I JUST ASK THAT YOU SUPPORT STAFF RECOMMENDATION SO WE CAN TAKE THIS BACK TO THE PLANNING COMMITTEE AND HAVE A DEEPER CONVERSATION.
AND IF YOU GUYS HAVE NOT SEEN SOME OF THE PREVIOUS PLANNING COMMITTEES, IT IS FROM THOSE MEETINGS AND SOME OF THE CONFUSION THERE THAT I MOVED THIS FORWARD. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONSIDERATION, AND I'LL HAVE OPINIONS ON THE OTHER ITEMS BUT I WON'T
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SHARE THEM RIGHT NOW BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO VIOLATE QUORUM.THANK YOU. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER VIAGRAN. LET'S SEE. COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ SUBMITTED ON ITEM NUMBER -- I'VE LOST MY PLACE HERE, ITEM 7.
>> PELAEZ: YEAH, MAYOR. THIS MORNING I HAD A FANTASTIC CONVERSATION WITH -- I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER JAY HU LING'S FORMER PROSECUTOR OUT OF THE U.S. ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. HE'S A POLITICAL APPOINTEE TO THE CIVIL RIGHTS DIVISION IN D.C. FOR -- UNDER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS. HE WAS PRETTY EXCITED.
I'VE ALSO HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO WELLS FARGO THIS MORNING AND OUR FRIENDS OVER AT IBC BANK. THEY'RE INTERESTED IN ALSO PARTICIPATING IN SOME CAPACITY IN AN EDUCATION CAMPAIGN.
AND I'D LIKE TO ASK THE COMMITTEE TO ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO CONTINUE THIS FOR SOME INDEFINITE TIME SO WE CAN ROPE IN THOSE TWO BANKS AND THE U.S.
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AS WELL WHO'S EXPRESSED INTEREST.
AND SO UNLESS THERE'S -- SO MY MOTION IS THAT WE PULL IT OFF AND THEN I'LL RESUBMIT AT A LATER DATE ONCE I'VE GOT SOME MORE INFORMATION.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: CAN WE WAIT ON THAT UNTIL WE HEAR FROM COUNCILMEMBER
WHYTE AND THEN I'LL ASK FOR AN INITIAL MOTION. >> PELAEZ: SURE.
COUNCILMEMBE R WHYTE SUBMITTED FOR ITEM EIGHT, SO IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME
AND TELL US ABOUT THAT. . >> WHYTE: YEAH, THANKS, MAYOR. ZERO-BASED BUDGETING, OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING I'VE TALKED ABOUT QUITE A BIT. WE ALWAYS SAY EVERY YEAR, BUDGET SEG THE MOST IMPORTANT THING THAT WE DO, AND I THINK AS A CITY COUNCIL, IT IS OUR NUMBER ONE JOB TO MAKE SURE THAT WE SPEND OUR CITIZENS' TAX DOLLARS IN A WAY THAT'S MOST ADVANTAGEOUS TO THEM, THE WAY THAT MOST DIRECTLY AND POSITIVELY IMPACTS THEIR LIVES ON A DAILY BASIS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT MARIA AND ERIK AND THEIR WHOLE TEAM HAVE DONE ON THIS TO COME UP WITH WHAT I BELIEVE IS A VERY FAIR PLAN, AND I WANT TO STRESS THAT ZERO-BASED BUDGETING IS NOT ABOUT CUTTING FROM THE BUDGET. IT'S NOT ABOUT SPENDING LESS MONEY, ALTHOUGH, OF COURSE, I WOULD LOVE TO SPEND LESS MONEY. BUT ZERO-BASED BUDGETING IS ABOUT FINDING REDUNDANCY AND INEFFICIENCIES, AND THEN MOVING THAT MONEY TO WHAT THE PRIORITIES OF THE CITIZENS ARE.
AND I THINK THAT THE PLAN THAT CITY STAFF HAS COME UP WITH TO USE ZERO-BASED PRINCIPLES, ALONG WITH OUTCOME-BASED BUDGETING AND PRIORITY-BASED BUDGETING IS A REALLY GOOD START TO BETTER BUDGETING PRACTICES HERE IN THE CITY. THIS IS GOING TO HELP OUR CITIZENS, IT'S GOING TO MORE ACCURATELY -- OUR BUDGET WILL MORE ACCURATELY REFLECT THEIR PRIORITIES. WE WILL ELIMINATE SOME OF THESE WASTE AND INEFFICIENCIES AND WE'RE DOING RIGHT BY THE CITIZENS WHEN WE DO THAT. SO THANK YOU, AGAIN, TO STAFF AND THANK YOU ALL
FOR CONSIDERING IT. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER WHYTE. OKAY. SO THAT IS -- WE'VE HEARD FROM OUR COLLEAGUES WHO ARE NOT ON THE COMMITTEE ON THE SUBMISSIONS, SO ANDY, WITHOUT OVERCOMPLICATING THIS, I THINK I CAN TAKE A MOTION ON ITEM NUMBER 81ST, IF THE INTENT IS JUST TO KICK IT AND I CAN HAVE A
DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT. >> SEGOVIA: YES. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: SO
COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ. >> PELAEZ: REQUEST THAT WE PULL IT OFF AND I'LL BRING IT BACK AT SOME LATER DATE WITH COORDINATION WITH YOUR OFFICE, MAYOR, SO WE CAN AGENDIZE IT CORRECTLY
IN FRONT OF THE GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: OKAY.
IS THAT COMPL COMPLIANT WITH OUR NEW CCR ORDINANCE.
>> SEGOVIA: YES, IT IS. >> PELAEZ: I WANT TO MAKE SURE --
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: LET ME RECOGNIZE THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR TABLING THE ITEM TO BE DETERMINED LATER, WHAT WE DO WITH IT.
SO SENATOR MENENDEZ, JUDGE VASQUEZ, IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME FORWARD AND
ADDRESS THE COMMITTEE. >> THANK YOU, MR. MAYOR AND COUNCIL.
AND JUST SO -- FOR THE RECORD, THE JUDGE ASKED ME TO GO FIRST.
BECAUSE I NORMALLY WOULD SAY SHE COULD GO FIRST, BUT SHE ASKED ME TO.
SO I'LL SET THIS UP. FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU, COUNCILMAN PELAEZ, YOU AND I SPOKE AT THIS ISSUE AT CLARITY, AT THE RIBBON CUTTING, AND WE MENTIONED HOW IMPORTANT THIS ISSUE WAS, AND I DON'T THINK YOU WERE AWARE OF THE FACT THAT WE HAD -- WELL, JUST SO YOU KNOW -- I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BACKGROUND OF HOW WE GOT TO WHERE WE ARE. JUDGE VASQUEZ, PROBATE COURT NUMBER 2 CALLED ME BACK IN 2019 SAID I'M SEEING ALL THESE ELDER FRAUD CASES AND NONE OF THEM ARE GETTING -- VERY FEW OF THEM ARE GETTING PROSECUTED AND I'M REALLY FRUSTRATED, WHAT CAN WE DO? WOULD YOU LIKE TO WORK TOGETHER? I SAID ABSOLUTELY.
LET'S PUT TOGETHER A LIST OF PEOPLE WE WANT INVOLVED.
AND WHAT WE SAW ON THAT LIST OF PEOPLE ON THE CCR WAS PRETTY MUCH A LIST OF SIMILAR PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE INVOLVED ON OURS WITH THE DOJ, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, YOU KNOW, GO DOWN THE LIST, THE FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, ET CETERA. WHERE WE ARE, WHERE WE'VE GONE SO FAR FROM -- WE
[00:35:06]
ACTUALLY CLOSED THE LOOPHOLE IN THE LEGISLATURE ON HOW YOU COULD SAY IT WAS A LOAN AND GET AWAY WITH STEELING MONEY FROM AN ELDERLY PERSON IF YOU WERE A CAREGIVER, WE'VE MOVED ON TO PROPOSING AN IDEA THAT JUDGE VASQUEZ FOUND IN HARRIS COUNTY AND NOW WE'VE ACTUALLY, ALONG WITH THE COUNTY, MADE AN APPLICATION FOR A FEDERAL GRANT.I WANT TO LET THE JUDGE BRING US UP TO SPEED ON THAT, SO YOU KNOW THE CHIEF OF POLICE HAS SIGNED AN MOU WITH THAT, THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT, THE DA'S OFFICE. IT IS A COUNTYWIDE EFFORT TO REDUCE FRAUD AGAINST OUR ELDERLY, AND HOPEFULLY THAT GRANT WILL COME THROUGH AND THEN THERE WILL BE A CENTER THAT WILL JUST -- IT WILL SUPERSEDE ANY TASK FORCE, IT WILL BE A SENIOR JUSTICE ASSESSMENT CENTER.
JUDGE? >> THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ FOR BRINGING THIS ISSUE. IT'S AN IMPORTANT ISSUE THAT WE SHOULD ALL CARE ABOUT AND FOCUS ON. BUT ESSENTIALLY, LIKE THE SENATOR SAID, WE HAVE NOW MORPHED INTO IT BEING A TASK FORCE TO ASKING FOR SENIOR JUSTICE ASSESSMENT CENTER BEING CREATED. THE COUNTY DID APPLY FOR A GRANT IN ORDER TO CREATE THIS. IT'S A [INDISCERNIBLE] GRANT, SO THE INITIAL GRANT WE APPLIED FOR WAS THROUGH THE DOJ.
WE'RE WAITING TO SEE IN OCTOBER IF WE GET THE GRANT.
IF WE GET THE GRANT, IT'S 800,000. IT WOULD BRING TOGETHER -- IT LOOKS AT THE VICTIM HOLISTICALLY, IT BRINGS TOGETHER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS AS WELL AS THE DA AND ALL THE DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS TO DISCUSS THAT PROSECUTION END, BUT IT ALSO BRINGS TOGETHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS LIKE MEALS ON WHEELS, DIAPER BANK, ALL THOSE OTHER -- AARP, ALL THOSE OTHER INDIVIDUALS TO LOOK AT THE VICTIM HOLISTICALLY. YOU HAVE TWO TYPES OF VICTIMS, ONE WITH CAPACITY AND ONE WITHOUT. A LOT OF THEM WITH CAPACITY ARE GETTING SCAMMED BY THEIR LOVED ONES.
A LOT OF TIMES THEY DON'T WANT TO PRESS CHARGES, THEY DON'T WANT TO GO THROUGH WITH IT. BUT THE SENIOR JUSTICE CENTER WILL LOOK AT THEM AS A WHOLE, IF YOU DON'T WANT TO PROSECUTE, DO YOU NEED MEALS, DO YOU NEED HELP WITH, YOU KNOW, PAYING BILLS, DO YOU NEED ALL THESE OTHER THINGS SO IT LOOKS AT THE VICTIM HOLISTICALLY, SO THAT'S WHAT OUR GOAL IS NEXT.
THE SENATOR AND I, WHEN WE CREATED THE TASK FORCE, IF WE ARE NOT HERE THE NEXT TIME AROUND, WE DON'T WANT IT TO LIVE AND DIE WITH A SINGLE ELECTED OFFICIAL, WITH A SINGLE PERSON, WE WANT IT TO LIVE BEYOND US SO THAT WHEN WE NEED IT, WHEN WE'RE SENIORS, HOPEFULLY WE WON'T, BUT IF WE DO NEED IT, THEN IT'S THERE FOR THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
SO THANK YOU. >> AND JUST SO YOU -- JUST TO CLOSE ON THAT LOOPHOLE -- NOT LOOPHOLE, BUT COMMENT, IS THERE WAS A VICTIM IN HARRIS COUNTY WHO HAD A CHILD OF MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES/DISABILITIES, WHO ABUSED THE PARENT PHYSICALLY. AND WHAT THEY CAME UP WITH WAS THE PARENT DIDN'T WANT TO PRESS CHARGES, BUT THEY DID FIND A WAY TO PROVIDE SERVICES FOR BOTH THE PARENT AND THE CHILD.
AND -- WITHOUT -- SO WE'RE CHANGING THE PARADIGM, TOO MANY TIMES OUR COUNTY JAILS ARE THE PLACE WHERE PEOPLE ARE GETTING -- THE FIRST TIME THAT THEY'RE GETTING ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH, AND THAT'S THE WORST PLACE FOR IT TO HAPPEN. SO THEY'RE FINDING A WAY TO TAKE CARE OF THE VICTIM HOLISTICALLY. THIS MAY SHOCK Y'ALL, BUT THE COST TO THIS IS GOING TO BE VERY LOW. RIGHT NOW THE CURRENT GRANT IS ABOUT $200,000 PER YEAR FOR FOUR YEARS, SO EVEN IN THE EVENT, FOR WHATEVER REASON THE FEDERAL GRANT DOESN'T -- FALLS THROUGH, WE'RE HOPEFUL THAT BOTH THE CITY AND THE COUNTY CAN SEE THE WISDOM OF A SMALL INVESTMENT ON BEHALF OF THE CITIZENS, AND I WILL ALSO BE TAKING THIS REQUEST TO THE STATE, SO THAT POSSIBLY WE CAN TURN THIS UP AND JUST SO THAT Y'ALL KNOW, IT'S A SAD FACT THAT BEXAR COUNTY IS ON PAR WITH THE AMOUNT OF ELDERLY FRAUD AND ABUSE OF OUR ELDERLY CITIZENS WITH HARRIS COUNTY, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE TWO TO THREE TIMES OUR SIZE. SO THE NEED IS GREAT. I THINK IT LINES UP WITH THE FACT THAT WE HAVE SUCH HIGH POVERTY AND OTHER DETERMINING FACTORS THAT WE'VE SEEN THAT EFFECT HEALTH AND OTHER THINGS, SO I THINK IT COULDN'T -- YOUR CCR WAS A GREAT IDEA. FORTUNATELY WE'RE ALL WORKING TOGETHER AND WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, BOTH.
>> THANK YOU. DISCUSSION ON ITEM EIGHT, WE HAVE A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR -- YEAH, GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA?
>> HAVRDA: THIS IS JUST ON THIS ITEM. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: JUST
ON THIS ITEM. >> HAVRDA: IS IT A MOTION.
THERE'S A MOTION TO TABLE THE ITEM, BRING IT BACK. IT'S ITEM SEVEN.
A GOOD IDEA IS A GOOD IDEA. I THINK THIS IS GREAT.
OF COURSE JUDGE VASQUEZ AND SENATOR MENENDEZ HAVE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR SOME TIME. MY QUESTION ABOUT YOUR MOTION IS THAT -- VERY FRANKLY, I HAVE A CONCERN THAT TABLING IT WILL LOOK LIKE THE CITY IS NOT IN SUPPORT OF THE WORK THAT THEY'RE DOING IN ALL THE REQUESTS FOR FUNDING, SO THERE IS A WAY TO WORK WITH THE TASK FORCE TO PULL IN THE OTHER
[00:40:02]
PARTNERS WITHOUT TABLING THE ITEM SO WE GO FORWARD WITH THE RECOMMENDATIONTO KEEP IT MOVING. >> PELAEZ: SURE. SO JUST TO BE ABSOLUTELY CLEAR, AND HOPE THAT THE MINUTES ARE REFLECTED, WE'RE 100% SUPPORTIVE OF THE WORK YOU GUYS ARE DOING, AND TABLING IT SHOULD NOT BE INTERPRETED AS COMMUNICATING THAT THE CITY IS ANYTHING OTHER THAN COMMITTED TO COMBATING ELDER FRAUD AND EELDER ABUSE. ERIK, ARE YOU AS
COMMITTED AS I AM? >> WALSH: YES, SIR. >> PELAEZ: THERE YOU GO.
YOU HEARD IT FROM THE CEO. WE'RE AS COMMITTED.
PLEASE DON'T INTERPRET THE MOTION AND VOTES TO TABLE IT IS WANTING TO DO
SOME -- KAB CAVS MY HARVEY >> HAVRDA: I'M JUST SAYING US TABLING IT LOOKS LIKE WE'RE KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD, AND IF THE INTENT IS NO PULL IN THESEO OTHER PARTNERS, WHY NOT PULL
THEM IN WHILE WE'RE WORKING WITH THE ITEM. >> PELAEZ: I GET IT.
MY MOTION STANDS. >> HAVRDA: OKAY. GREAT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THE MOTION? OKAY. HEARING NONE, THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR TABLING ITEM 7. AGAIN, RECONSIDERATION AT A LATER DATE.
ALL THOSE IN FAVOR SAY AYE. (AYES.)
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: ANY OPPOSED? OKAY.
MOTION CARRIES 4-1. ALL RIGHT. WE'LL GO TO DISCUSSION ON THE ITEMS 2 THROUGH 8, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF 7. I DON'T HAVE A CUE, FOR RAISE YOUR HAND IF YOU'D LIKE TO SPEAK FIRST. I SEE JOHN GRABBED HIS MIC, SO COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE -- OH, YOU'RE -- OKAY.
>> COURAGE: OKAY. THANK YOU. JUST TO GO DOWN THE LIST, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THESE HAVE MERIT. I THINK RE ALL OF THEM HAVE VALUE. ITEM NUMBER TWO, I'M JUST GOING TO SAY, I APPRECIATE PHYLLIS BRINGING THIS FORWARD, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN.
I SERVED ON PLANNING COMMISSION FOR TWO YEARS, AND I WOULD CONCUR WITH THE IDEA THAT WE NEED MORE DIVERSITY AND REPRESENTATION ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION THAN EXISTS TODAY. SO I'M GLAD THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE MOVING FORWARD FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION.
A LOT OF TIMES WE -- WHEN I WAS ON THE COMMISSION, WE LOOKED AT CITY-APPROVED PLANS AS PART OF OUR SA TOGETHER PROGRAM, OUR FUTURE SA PROGRAM WHERE WE HAD PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY COME TOGETHER AND SAY, THIS IS WHAT WE WANT. AND THEN THERE WERE PRIVATE INTERESTS WHO CAME FORWARD AND SAID, WELL, THAT MAY HAVE BEEN WHAT THE COMMUNITY SAID THEY WANTED AND THAT MAY HAVE BEEN WHAT THE CITY ACCEPTED, BUT WE'VE BROUGHT THIS PROPERTY AND WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH IT.
SO I THINK THAT HAVING MORE DIVERSIFICATION AND REPRESENTATION ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS A GOOD WAY FORWARD. SO I HOPE THIS GOES TO PCDC, I BELIEVE IT WOULD BE, AND THAT THEY LOOK AT THIS FURTHER.
AS FAR AS ITEMS 2 AND 3 AND 4 -- I MEAN, 3 AND 4, I THINK THEY'RE GREAT. I THINK THEY'RE DEFINITELY WORTH PURSUING. I HAVE MORE QUESTIONS ON ITEMS 5 AND 6, AND I HOPE TO HEAR THOSE EXPLORED MORE THOROUGHLY IN COMMITTEES.
AND WE'VE ALREADY DECIDED ON TABLING 7 -- OR ITEM 7.
WHEN IT COMES TO ITEM 8, I -- I'M LOOKING AT THE RECOMMENDATION, AND IT SAYS THAT THE STAFF WILL PROVIDE AN UPDATE TO FULL COUNCIL NEXT YEAR MIDYEAR TO PROVIDE A PLAN FOR IMPLEMENTATION, AND I'M JUST WONDERING, WILL THAT IMPLEMENTATION BE INCLUDING ZBB PRINCIPLES, ZERO-BASED BUDGETING? WILL IT INCLUDE PERFORMANCE BUDGETING? SO I'VE BEEN A PROPONENT OF ZERO-BASED BUDGETING. I THINK THERE'S A COUPLE OF AREAS WHERE IT WOULDN'T WORK. I WOULDN'T TRY AND ZERO-BASE BUDGET THE POLICE OR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. WE HAVE CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS THERE, SO IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE. AND I REALLY APPRECIATE THE WAY IT WAS LAID OUT ABOUT LOOKING AT CORE AND THEN LOOKING AT CURRENT AND THEN LOOKING AT ENHANCEMENTS. I THINK ALL THOSE ARE VALUABLE, BUT WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE CORE AND I THINK ABOUT THE CURRENT, WHICH WAS BASED MOSTLY ON ORDINANCES THAT MAY HAVE BEEN PASSED BY THE COUNCIL, I -- I THINK ALL OF THOSE REALLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE LOOKED AT IN DEPTH, AND THOSE ARE BASICS TO ME. SO I JUST WANT TO MAKE
[00:45:02]
SURE THAT AS WE COME UP WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO THE COUNCIL, IT'S A FULLRECOMMENDATION AND IT REALLY GIVES. >> ERGIVES ZERO-BASED BUDGETING TO THE FULL COUNCIL. AND THAT'S MY LIP SERVICE TO IT. THAT'S MY COMMENTS ON ITEM NUMBER 8.
SO THANK YOU, MAYOR. ACTUALLY, I FAILED TO ASK FOR A MOTION TO ADOPT STAFF RECOMMENDATION ON ITEMS 2 THROUGH SEVEN. SO -- 2 THROUGH 8.
IF I CAN GET THAT ON THE TABLE FIRST, AND THEN WE'LL CONTINUE THE DISCUSSION. WE CAN MAKE AMENDMENTS TO THAT MOTION IF NECESSARY, BUT WE NEED A BASE MOTION. OKAY.
THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND FOR ADOPTING STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS ON ITEM 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 AND 8. COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA?
>> HAVRDA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'M GOING TO GO IN REVERSE ORDER. A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS, I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT THE ZERO-BASED BUDGETING, IT'S A HYBRID METHOD? IT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD COMPROMISE, GIVEN THE ORIGINAL PROPOSAL, BUT A COUPLE OF THINGS. OF THE THREE OPTIONS THAT WERE GIVEN, THE PERFORMANCE-BASED, OUTCOMES-BASED AND WHAT WAS THE.
>> VILLAGOMEZ: IT WAS PRIORITY-BASED BUDGETING, OUTCOMES-BASED AND
ZERO-BASED. >> HAVRDA: WHY WAS OUTCOMES BASED
RECOMMENDED OVER THE OTHER TWO. >> VILLAGOMEZ: WE'RE REQUESTING TAKING ELEMENTS OF ALL THREE. THE OUTCOMES BASE BUDGETING PIECE IS TO GATHER WHAT ARE THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES, SO LET'S SAY OUR PRIORITY IS PARKS AND RECREATION, WHAT ARE THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF PERHAPS THE MAINTENANCE OF OUR PARKS, THE PROGRAMMING AT OUR COMMUNITY CENTERS. AND THEN THE ZERO-BASED BUDGETING ELEMENTS IS GOING TO HELP US TO IDENTIFY WHAT ARE THE CORE SERVICES WITHIN THE PARKS DEPARTMENTS THAT WE MUST DO, THE MINIMUM WORK THAT WE SHOULD DO AND WHAT ARE THOSE CURRENT SERVICES AND PERHAPS IDENTIFY EFFICIENCIES OR ENHANCE SERVICES, BUT THAT IS DRIVEN, AGAIN, BY THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES AND THE PRIORITIES OF THE ELECTED BODY AND THE COMMUNITY.
>> HAVRDA: OKAY. AND IF YOU'LL EXPLAIN TO ME, TOO, THE EVERY FIVE YEARS BIT. EVERY FIVE YEARS YOU'RE GOING TO CYCLE
THROUGH -- >> VILLAGOMEZ: SO WE HAVE NOT RECOMMENDED THAT IN
THIS RECOMMENDATION. >> HAVRDA: OKAY. >> VILLAGOMEZ: WHAT WE WOULD LIKE DO IS TO DEVELOP AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN.
I COULDN'T TELL YOU TODAY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO DO IT ON -- WE HAVE OVER 40 DEPARTMENTS, WHICH DEPARTMENTS WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME TIME TO COME UP WITH AN IMPLEMENTATION PLAN THAT WE'LL BE PRESENTING AS
PART OF THE SIX PLUS SIX IN -- NEXT YEAR. >> HAVRDA: OKAY.
AND TO BE CLEAR, DID YOU SAY A THIRD-PARTY CONSULTING GROUP WILL HELP WITH LIKE THE STRUCTURE AND THE IMPLEMENTATION?
>> VILLAGOMEZ: YES. SO AS WE EMBARK IN THIS WORK, IT WILL REQUIRE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, SO WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO COME BACK AND PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO YOU ALL AS PART OF THE MIDYEAR ADJUSTMENT, IF WE NEED TO MAKE A MIDYEAR BUDGET ADJUSTMENT, ASKING FOR RESOURCES TO PAY FOR THOSE EXPERTS WILL BE DOING IT AT THAT TIME, AND WE EXPECT THAT THAT'S
GOING TO BE THE CASE. >> HAVRDA: SO WE DON'T KNOW RIGHT NOW WHERE THAT
FUNDING WILL COME FROM. >> VILLAGOMEZ: NO. >> HAVRDA: OKAY.
AND THE PLAN IS TO COME BACK IN MARCH TO IDENTIFY THAT FUNDING AND THE FULL
PLAN, CORRECT? >> WALSH: YES. THE SIX PLUS SIX ACTUALLY HAPPENS AT THE BEGINNING OF APRIL. BUT, YES, AT THE SIX PLUS
SIX. >> HAVRDA: IN APRIL. OKAY.
OKAY. WELL, THANK YOU. THIS IS ALL THE ITEMS, RIGHT? OKAY. THANKS TO COUNCILMAN WHYTE FOR BRINGING THIS IN. AND I'LL SAY FOR ALL OF THE ONES THAT COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO BROUGHT IN, I'M IN FAVOR OF ALL OF THEM. I DON'T REALLY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THEM.
I JUST WANT TO MENTION, I THINK IT'S ITEM 6, THE HOUSING.
ARE WE ALSO GOING TO CONSIDER LOOKING AT MULTIFAMILY HOUSING? I THINK, YOU KNOW, APARTMENT PROVIDERS AREN'T ALWAYS SEEN AS HOUSING PROVIDERS, BUT THEY ARE. SO IS THAT PART OF IT?
>> HOUSTON: SO FOR STAY SA, THIS IS ABOUT MULTIFAMILY DEVELOPMENT.
>> HAVRDA: SO IT'S FOCUSING ON IT. >> HOUSTON: YES.
>> HAVRDA: WONDERFUL. THAT WAS MY ONLY QUESTION.
AND THEN ITEM 2, IS THAT -- HOW DOES THAT REQUEST JIVE WITH THE CITY CHARTER? DOESN'T THE CITY CHARTER TALK ABOUT PLANNING, HOW
THAT IS RUN? OR STAFFED, I GUESS. >> YES, IT DOES.
[00:50:02]
I'M SORRY. SAY YOUR QUESTION AGAIN. >> HAVRDA: SURE.
HOW DOES THIS PROPOSED ORDINANCE -- OR AT LEAST CCR, HOW DOES IT DOVETAIL WITH THE CITY CHARTER IN HOW THE CITY CHARTER MANDATES THE PLANNING
COMMISSION? > >> RACCA-SITTRE: SO I CAN HELP WITH THAT. DEBLY RACCA-SITTRE, CITY CLERK FOR THE RECORD.
THE CITY CHARTER DOES HAVE A COMPONENT THAT DESCRIBES HOW THE MAKEUP OF NINE MEMBERS AND THEN THE AD HOC, EXOFFICIO MEMBERS THAT CAN BE ADDED BY COUNCIL AND THE ONES THAT ARE ALREADY DESIGNATED.
WE PROPOSE THAT WE WOULD GO TO PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE TO TALK ABOUT THE OPTIONS THAT THERE COULD BE.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM THE COMMITTEE WHAT CHANGES THEY MIGHT WANT TO SEE, AND THEN WE WOULD WORK WITH LEGAL TO DETERMINE CAN THOSE CHANGES BE MADE WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE CITY CHARTER, AS WELL AS THERE'S STATE LAWS THAT ACTUALLY TELL YOU HOW THE PLANNING COMMISSION CAN BE RUN.
SO THAT'S THE PURPOSE OF TAKING IT TO PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT TO SEE WHAT PROBLEM ARE WE TRYING TO SOLVE, AND GET FEEDBACK AND STAFF WOULD WORK WITH DEVELOPMENT SERVICES TO DETERMINE IF -- YOU KNOW, WHAT -- WHAT KIND OF POSSIBILITIES THAT MIGHT -- WHAT WE MIGHT BE
ABLE TO DO, WHAT OPTIONS THERE MIGHT BE. >> HAVRDA: OKAY.
SO IT'S BUILT INTO THE PROCESS. I'M IN FULL FAVOR OF THE IDEA AND I DO THINK THAT THERE'S AN ISSUE THERE. I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET CAUGHT UP ON SOMETHING DOWN THE LINE, HAVING -- GOING AGAINST THE CHARTER. BUT YOU'VE BUILT THAT
INTO THE PROCESS IS WHAT I'M HEARING? >> RACCA-SITTRE: RIGHT.
WE HAVE EXCELLENT ATTORNEYS THAT ARE GOING TO ADVISE US ON WHAT CAN AND CAN'T BE DONE, AND -- BUT WE NEED TO SEE ESSENTIALLY WHAT THE COMMITTEE WOULD LIKE TO SEE HAPPEN, WHAT WHAT'S THE ULTIMATE RESULT AND WE'LL SEE WHAT THE OPTIONS MIGHT BE THERE THERE.
SO IT'S BUILT IN. >> HAVRDA: THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN FOR POINTING OUT THIS ISSUE, AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE, THANKS, MAYOR.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER CABELLO HAVRDA.
COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ? >> PELAEZ: THANK YOU. I SUPPORT ZERO-BASED BUDGETING. THANK YOU COUNCILMAN WHYTE FOR BRINGING THAT FORWARD. I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT EXERCISE.
YOU KNOW THE ID THAT ALL OF US WEAR, THE -- YOU KNOW, THE PICTURE ID THAT EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM HAS, IF YOU TURN AROUND ON THE BACK, IT ACTUALLY TALKS ABOUT CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT, AND I THINK THAT EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE, YOU KNOW, SHAKING OUT THE CONTENTS OF THE BUDGET AND PUTTING IT BACK TOGETHER AGAIN, IT'S A WAY THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO REALIZE SOME CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENTS, SO IT'S OKAY. -- PLANNING COMMISSION APPOINTMENTS, I THINK IT'S AN INTERESTING IDEA. UP UNTIL NOW, TO ME THE -- MY ONLY CONCERN IS THAT UP UNTIL NOW THE PLANNING COMMISSION HAS BEEN A TECHNICAL COMMISSION WITH APPOINTEES WHO ARE -- WHO HAVE SOME SORT OF SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE IN THIS AREA, AND SO TO THE EXTENT THAT WE WOULD CREATE, YOU KNOW, DIVERSIFICATION, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT'S DIVERSIFICATION; HOWEVER, THAT IT NOT BE POLITICAL APPOINTEES, YOU KNOW, AS A WAY OF JUST, YOU , YOU KNOW, REWARDING PATRONAGE, BUT IT BE A WAY TO DIVERSIFY IT WITH FOLKS THAT HAVE SUBJECT MATTER EXPERTISE IN THIS VERY TECHNICAL AREA. I'M NOT OPPOSED TO IT, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THE END RESULT IS WE DON'T APPOINT HOA PRESIDENTS AND HOPE FOR THE BEST, THAT WE ACTUALLY LOOK FOR QUALIFICATIONS AND PAST EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE, BUT ASIDE FROM THAT, I'LL VOTE FOR IT.
>> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ.
COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA? >> GARCIA: THANK YOU, MAYOR. I'LL START OFF WITH THANKING COUNCILWOMAN VIAGRAN FOR THE PLANNING COMMISSION DIVERSIFICATION AND LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH ANDY AND THE TEAM ON THAT, AND WHAT WE CAN AND CAN'T DO. I THTY GOAL WAS TO MAKE -- AUDIO] -- I'M VERY UNDERSTANDING OF COUNCILMAN PELAEZ'S POINT, BECAUSE WE DO NEED SOME EXPERTISE. I THINK THAT THIS BUILDS INTO THE FACT THAT WE NEED TO SUPPORT PROGRAMS, RIGHT, THAT HELP MORE PEOPLE IN THE OTHER DISTRICTS, RIGHT, BE ABLE TO HAVE THAT KIND OF EXPERIENCE. BECAUSE, AGAIN, WE'RE ULTIMATELY LEAVING THEM OUT. AND THEN ON ITEM NUMBER 3, WHICH IS THE DESIGNATION OF FUENTES-SANCHEZ, ALLEY, I JUST WANT TO THANK COUNCICOUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO AND HER TEAM TO ALWAYS REMEMBER THOSE WHO HELPED OUR COMMUNITY IN A VERY HELPFUL WAY. THIS IS DR. KAUR'S REQUEST ON THE IMPROVEMENT TO CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. I LOVE THAT. WE NOW HAVE A MUNICIPAL UTILITIES COMMITTEE AS WELL, AND WE ALREADY HAVE LIKE A WHOLE LIST OF THINGS THAT WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT, SO I FEEL LIKE WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH TIME IN THE NEXT NINE MONTHS TO GET THROUGH IT ALL, BUT WITH THIS ALSO POSSIBLY COME
[00:55:04]
THROUGH THE MUNICIPAL UTILITIES COMMITTEE, OR IS IT JUST TO THE TRANSPORTATION? AND I'M FINE EITHER WAY, BUT I'M SAYING THAT IT MIGHT EFFECT THE UTILITIES, SO HOW DO WE ENSURE THAT THE UTILITIESARE KIND OF ON BOARD WITH WHAT WE DO? >> PETEREK: YEAH, ABSOLUTELY. THE CURRENT PLAN IS TO GO TO THE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE AS OUTLINED BUT OBVIOUSLY OPENED TO FEEDBACK HERE.
WE WILL BE SURE TO COORDINATE WITH ALL OF OUR UTILITIES, BOTH SAWS, CPS, LOCAL TELECOMS, WE HAVE INFRASTRUCTURE UNDERGROUND THAT THIS WILL EFFECT, SO WE'LL BE BRINGING THEM ALONG WITH US.
>> GARCIA: OKAY. WONDERFUL. THANK YOU.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT SAWS AND CPS, THAT WE COORDINATE VERY WELL WITH THEM, OBVIOUSLY, AND SEE HOW WE CAN STREAMLINE, SO WE'RE TALKING ABOUT STREAMLINE FOR A WHILE. SO THANK YOU TO DR. KAUR FOR THIS. THE OTHER ONE ON CLT THAT WAS SUBMITTED BY COUNCILWOMAN CASTILLO, I APPRECIATE THAT WE ARE PRIORITIZING IN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT THE PROPERTIES THAT WE CAN HELP WITH CONSIDERATION TO AMI BEING CONSIDERED FIRST, SO I JUST WANTED TO THANK HER FOR THAT AS WELL AS THE STAY SA. THIS ONE I STILL THINK WE MUST FOCUS ON DENSITY, AND I AGREE WITH HER THAT IN CERTAIN AREAS, THE FOCUS ALSO NEEDS TO BE ON AFFORDABILITY. AND I LOVE THAT SHE HAS A CARROT APPROACH TO DEVELOPMENT, SO I'VE ALWAYS HEARD THAT AS A [INDISCERNIBLE] THAT WE DO THE OTHER WAY, SO I APPRECIATE HER ON THAT. AND THEN ON ITEM NUMBER 8, THE ZERO-BASED BUDGET, WHAT -- YOU MENTIONED A THIRD PARTY.
WHAT LOCAL THIRD PARTIES DO THIS TYPE OF WORK? HAVE YOU ALL STARTED LOOKING AT THAT, OR DOES THAT -- I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT THAT, SO DO LOCAL -- LIKE HOW IMPORTAN IS IT FOR THEM TO HAVE A LOCAL
PERSPECTIVE? >> VILLAGOMEZ: WE HAVE NOT STARTED LOOKING, COUNCILWOMAN, SO I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S SOME LOCAL HERE IN SAN ANTONIO. FOR THE PURPOSE OF WORK THAT WE ARE ASKING THEM TO DO, WHICH IS GOING TO BE PROBABLY REVIEW OF PROGRAMS, BUDGETING PRIORITIES, METRICS, I THINK SOMEBODY THAT HAS THE EXPERIENCE TO DO THAT, INDEPENDENTLY IF THEY'RE LOCAL OR NOT, THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE THE BIGGER DRIVER. WE ARE GOING TO BE LEANING QUITE A BIT ON OUR CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE TO HELP US REVIEW THE CITY CODE AND DETERMINING THOSE PROGRAMS THAT ARE REQUIRED BY CITY
ORDINANCE, STATE LAW OR FEDERAL LAW. >> GARCIA: GREAT.
WELL, AND, MARIA, THE REASON THAT I'M SAYING THAT, AND COUNCILMAN PELAEZ BROUGHT THIS UP, I THINK IT WAS YESTERDAY, THE PUBLIC ASSISTANCE REFERENCE ON THE CHARTER. AND IT TALKS ABOUT PROVIDE FOR THE BASIC NECESSITIES OF LIFE IN ACCORDANCE WITH CATEGORIES OF SUCH PERSONS AS DEFINED BY THE ORDINANCE.
AND SO IN REALITY, LIKE WILL WE BE EXEMPT FROM EVEN LOOKING AT SOME OF THE PROGRAMS BECAUSE THAT'S IN OUR CHARTER, RIGHT? AND SO I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, LIKE, HOW DO WE DETERMINE WHAT ARE WE LOOKING AT OR WHAT WE'RE NOT, BECAUSE IF WE'RE LOOKING AT CERTAIN THINGS, WOULD WE ESSENTIALLY HAVE TO CHANGE THE CHARTER BEFORE WE EVERYBODY DO SOMETHING LIKE ZERO-BASED BUDGETING?
>> WALSH: NO, I DON'T BELIEVE SO, COUNCILWOMAN.
AND ALSO. >> SEGOVIA: I'M GOING TO ADDRESS THE CHARTER
ISSUE. >> WALSH: BEFORE YOU HANDLE THE CHARTER ISSUE. LET ME JUST -- NO, I DON'T BELIEVE SO.
I THINK THERE'S -- ACTUALLY, YESTERDAY'S DEBATE WAS A CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF THERE'S GRAY AREAS, AND REALLY THAT TYPE OF STUFF IS INCORPORATED IN THE PLAN AND PROBABLY NEEDS TO BE DISCUSSED AT THE COUNCIL LEVEL. AND SOME OF IT IS GOING TO BE REAL CLEAR, RIGHT, POLICE, STREETS AND THOSE THINGS. AND IT ALL GOES BACK TO, YOU KNOW, PART -- THAT ONE SLIDE IN MARIA'S PRESENTATION, THE COMMON THEME THAT RUNS THROUGH ALL OF THESE ARE COUNCIL PRIORITIES.
>> GARCIA: YEAH. >> WALSH: SO I THINK THAT DOESN'T PRECLUDE US FROM DOING ANYTHING, AND I DON'T THINK IT NECESSARILY REQUIRES US TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE CHARTER. IT'S REALLY HOW WE SET THE TABLE FOR THE COUNCIL AND FOR THE COUNCIL TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION, AND THEN DECIDE, YOU KNOW, WHAT BUCKET DOES IT BELONG.
>> GARCIA: GOT IT. AND I THINK THAT'S WHY I WAS ASKING MY -- DO WE HAVE ANY LOCAL, YOU KNOW, FOLKS THAT WOULD BE DOING THIS, BECAUSE THEN WHAT ERIK WALSH CONSIDERS A BASIC NECESSITY IS NOT WHAT I CONSIDER A BASIC NECESSITY, SO I WAS TRYING TO LIKE, HERE, WHO DEFINES WHAT WE CAN AND
CAN'T LOOK AT IN TERMS OF PROGRAM. >> WALSH: SO WHAT MARIA DESCRIBED IS THE STAFF WILL TAKE THE INITIAL RECOMMENDATION, AND THEN
THE FINAL DETERMINATION IS UP TO THE COUNCIL. >> GARCIA: OKAY.
>> WALSH: WE'RE NOT HIRING CONSULTANTS TO DO THAT.
>> GARCIA: GOT IT. >> WALSH: THE CONSULTANTS WILL BE IF WE NEED ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR SOME OF THE METHODOLOGIES AND REVIEWS WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT, BUT WE DON'T NEED CONSULTANTS TO DO THAT.
THAT'S REALLY SHOULD BE DRIVEN MOSTLY BY THE STAFF AND ULTIMATELY BY
[01:00:03]
COUNCIL AS A GROUP. >> GARCIA: I'M COMFORTABLE WITH THAT THEN. BECAUSE I WAS JUST WORRIED THAT WE WERE PUTTING THIS, RIGHT, IN SOMEONE ELSE'S HANDS. SO -- OKAY.
PERFECT. THAT'S -- AND THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER ROCHA GARCIA. I GUESS, MARIA, IF YOU CAN COME BACK UP. YOU WANT BACK IN? COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE?
>> COURAGE: I JUST WANTED TO JUST HIGHLIGHT AGAIN ONE MORE THING ABOUT THE -- THE COMMITTEE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT FOR PLANNING, AND THAT IS THAT EVEN THOUGH THE CHARTER CALLS FOR SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, NINE PEOPLE THAT HAVE SOME KIND OF EXPERIENCE OR MAY BE RELATED TO DEVELOPMENT OR PLANNING, I DON'T KNOW WHEN THAT WAS PUT IN THE CHARTER, BUT I WOULD GUESS IT WAS QUITE A LONG TIME AGO. BUT EVEN SO, WE HAVE A STAFF THAT IS ABOUT THE MOST PROFESSIONAL STAFF I'VE EVER SEEN THAT WORK ON PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT. AND THEY ADVISE THE COMMITTEE. IT AMAZED ME SOMETIMES THAT THE ADVICE FROM THE STAFF WAS NOT ALWAYS TAKEN BY THE COMMITTEE. AND THAT'S BECAUSE PEOPLE CAME UP AND EXPLAINED THEIR REASON WHY THEY WANTED TO GO AGAINST WHAT THE STAFF SAID. WE DO THAT AT COUNCIL, TOO.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE A VERY PROFESSIONAL STAFF WHEN IT COMES TO PLANNING AND ZONING, AND THEY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO US, AND A LOT OF TIMES THEY'RE DENIALS, BUT WE LISTEN TO THE PUBLIC OR WE LISTEN TO A PARTICULAR INTEREST, AND WE MAKE OUR DECISIONS. SO I DON'T THINK THE KIND OF BACKGROUND PEOPLE HAVE WHO SERVE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION IS NEARLY AS RELEVANT AS THE PROFESSIONAL ADVICE WE GET FROM OUR STAFF OR AS OUR OWN COMMON SENSE AS COUNCILMEMBERS IN DEALING WITH THE PUBLIC OR INTERESTS THAT COME TO US, SO I'M JUST SAYING HAVING MORE FLEXIBILITY ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION WITH PEOPLE WHO MIGHT BE HOA PRESIDENTS OR OTHER THINGS, I THINK, IS -- IS JUST DIVERSIFYING THAT
COMMITTEE. THANK YOU, MAYOR. >> MAYOR NIRENBERG: GREAT.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH, COUNCILMEMBER COURAGE. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION ON THESE ITEMS? I'LL JUST ADD A FEW COMMENTS, AND LET ME JUST GO DOWN THE LIST. SO THIS IS PROBABLY THE THIRD, MAYBE FOURTH TIME THAT THE PLANNING CONVERSATION HAS COME UP OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD CHANGE THE COMPOSITION AND MAYBE DIVERSIFICATION AND GEOGRAPHIC REPRESENTATION, AND EACH TIME WE LAND BACK TO WHERE WE ARE, BECAUSE OF THE COMMENTS THAT COUNCILMEMBER PELAEZ MADE AND THE FACT THAT THIS IS A BODY THAT HAS STATUTORY AUTHORITY.
SO THE NEED FOR EXPERTISE IN CERTAIN AREAS OF DEVELOPMENT AND ENGINEERING IS CRITICALLY IMPORTANT FOR IT TO CARRY OUT ITS DUTIES.
I DON'T ARGUE WITH THE IMMEDIATE FOR DIVERSIFICATION, I JUST WOULD HOPE THAT AS WE MOVE FORWARD, NOT JUST BOUNDED BY STATE LAW AND OUR CITY CHARTER, BUT ALSO BEING THOUGHTFUL AS A CITY COUNCILMEMBER, IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO FIND THE RIGHT FOLKS WHO ARE FOCUSED ON DELIVERING THE PLAN THAT CITY COUNCIL HAS ALREADY ADOPTED, WHICH IS THE SA TOMORROW PLANNING -- SA TOMORROW PLAN. THAT'S MY ONLY COMMENTS ON ITEM 2. ON ITEM 3 -- I'M SORRY, NOTHING ON ITEM 3.
I AGREE, I REALLY WAS LOOKING FORWARD TO HEARING ABOUT ITEM NUMBER 4, WHICH IS THE SUBSURFACE PLANNING. I THINK THIS WILL HELP US IMMENSELY AS WE GET INTO PROJECTS THAT ARE COMPLICATED, ESPECIALLY DOWNTOWN. I HAVE NO ISSUES WITH IT GOING TO THE MUC, SO MAYBE THERE'S A SECONDARY STOP THERE, JUST FOR BRIEFING PURPOSES AS THIS
MOVES THROUGH, BUT DISPOSING. >> RIGHT, FOR ACTION, BUT MAYBE THERE'S A STOP IN WITH MUC.
I THINK IT'S APPROPRIATE TO GET INPUT FROM THE UTILITIES.
SO ON ITEM NUMBER 5, I THINK THIS IS A GOOD IDEA.
I THINK THIS CAN HELP WITH OUR AFFORDABILITY GOALS.
MY ONLY CONCERN WITH ITEM NUMBER 5 IS THAT WE ALSO ACCOUNT FOR THE NEED FOR HOME OWNERSHIP. RIGHT NOW, THE WAY THE CCR'S WRITTEN IT IS GEARED ENTIRELY TOWARDS RENTAL AFFORDABILITY. WE KNOW WE HAVE COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS, PEOPLE WHO ARE -- AT LEAST ORGANIZATIONS, REPUTABLE
[01:05:01]
ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE SEEKING DESIGNATION TO BE A COMMUNITY LAND TRUST THAT ARE MORE FOCUSED ON HOME OWNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES.SOMETHING I THINK -- EVEN IF YOU HEAR THE NATIONAL CONVERSATION RIGHT NOW, WE NEED TO BE MORE FOCUSED ON HOME OWNERSHIP, MAKING THOSE AFFORDABLE SO PEOPLE CAN BEGIN TO BRING GENERATIONAL WEALTH.
THE OTHER DISCUSSION IS THAT MOST OF THESE PROPERTIES THAT ARE ACQUIRED BY THE TRUST ARE VERY SMALL AND ARE VERY COMPLICATED TO GET CLEARED BEFORE DEVELOPMENT CAN BE PURSUED IN AN AFFORDABLE WAY. IN THE CASE OF ONE OF THE DEVELOPMENTS THAT ALL OF US WERE AT -- OR SEVERAL OF US WERE AT RECENTLY ON CHIHUAHUA, THAT PROPERTY WAS ACQUIRED IN 2017. IT'S JUST NOW OPENING. SO WHAT WE DON'T WANT IS TO HAVE COMMUNITY LAND TRUSTS, ACQUIRING ALL THIS PROPERTY AND JUST SITTING ON IT. WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THERE'S EITHER A SHOT CLOCK, AN EXPECTATION ON THE COMMUNITY LAND TRUST ITSELF TO DELIVER THESE PROBABILITIES, OR LET THEM LOOSE. BACK TO US OR SOME OTHER -- OR TO SOME OTHER CLT. SO THAT WE CAN BEGIN TO PRODUCE HOUSING ON THESE -- ON THESE PARCELS.
IN SOME CASE, YOU KNOW, A TENTH OF AN ACRE. BUT WE CAN START MOVING THESE PARCELS QUICKLY. AND IF SOMETHING'S NOT WORKING, LET'S LET SOMEBODY ELSE TRY. SO THAT'S MY CONCERN ON NUMBER 5.
I THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA, BUT WE JUST HAVE TO BE SURE IT'S IMPLEMENTED IN THE RIGHT WAY, AND IT'S FOR BOTH HOME OWNERSHIP AND RENTAL.
ITEM NUMBER 6, I THINK IT'S GREAT. I THINK IT CARRIES ON WITH THE WORK OF THE HOUSING COMMISSION IN THE REMOVING BARRIERS SUBCOMMITTEE. WE'VE DONE THINGS LIKE ADD ADUS BY RIGHT.
ANY WAY THAT WE CAN HELP ENCOURAGE DENSITY, PARTICULARLY ON TRANSIT-ORIENTED CORRIDORS, GREAT. LET'S FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO THAT. AS IT RELATES TO THE INCENTIVES, THIS IS A PROGRAM THAT'S BEING MODELED AFTER AUSTIN, WE'RE DIFFERENT, SO LET'S SCALE THAT APPROPRIATELY FOR OUR COMMUNITY. THAT'S MY ASK.
ITEM NUMBER 8, I JUST HAVE QUESTIONS, AND I -- I RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT. MY QUESTION IS, ERIK -- OR MARIA, WHAT ARE WE
DOING NOW? >> VILLAGOMEZ: MAYOR, WE DO ELEMENTS OF ZERO-BASED BUDGETING TODAY. SO, FOR INSTANCE, WHEN A DEPARTMENT PROPOSES A NEW ENHANCEMENT TO THE BUDGET, LET'S THINK OF ANIMAL CARE SERVICES, WHEN WE WERE EVALUATING OUR RESPONSE TO CRITICAL CALLS, WE HAD TO IDENTIFY OUR DESIRED OUTCOMES WHICH WAS TO ADDRESS EVERY SINGLE CALL.
AND THEN LOOK AT WHAT ARE THE RESOURCES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE AND WHAT DO WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THAT GOAL. SO WE HAVE TO TAKE A LOOK AT IN A ZERO-BASED BUDGET APPROACH, THIS IS EVERY SINGLE LINE ITEM, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO, SO WE CAN COME TO YOU AND ASK YOU FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THAT ENHANCED LEVEL OF SERVICE.
WE DON'T DO IT ON THE ENTIRE BUDGET, BUT WE TYPICALLY DO IT WHEN WE'RE ADDING A PROGRAM OR EVALUATING A PROGRAM AS WELL.
SO THOSE ARE SOME OF THE ELEMENTS THAT WE USE. AS ERIK MENTIONED YESTERDAY, PRIOR TO COVID, WE WERE DOING COMPREHENSIVE BUDGET REVIEWS, AND THAT TAKES A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT TO BE ABLE TO FOLLOW A PROGRAM AND FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE WE DOING, IS THERE A DEMAND FOR THAT SERVICE FROM THE COMMUNITY? DO WE NEED TO DO IT MORE EFFICIENTLY? MAYBE THERE'S TECHNOLOGY OUT THERE THAT WE CAN BE MORE EFFICIENT, SO WE -- THAT'S WHAT -- A COUPLE OF EXAMPLES OF WHAT WE CURRENTLY DO. NOW, ON THE PRIORITY-BASED BUDGETING, WE COME TO YOU EVERY YEAR AT THE GOAL-SETTING SESSION AND ASK FOR YOUR PRIORITIES, WE SURVEY THE COMMUNITY AND ALSO ASK FOR THEIR PRIORITIES SO WE CAN BRING BACK TO YOU A PROPOSED BUDGET THAT IS REFLECTING THOSE -- THOSE PRIORITIES. THOSE COMPONENTS, EXAMPLES OF COMPONENTS OF WHAT WE DO TODAY. WHAT WE ARE RECOMMENDING IS A MUCH COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH THAT IS GOING TO TAKE ELEMENTS OF THE ZERO-BASED BUDGETING AND THEN BRING THOSE TO CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS. AS ERIK HAS ALLUDED, NOT NECESSARILY EVERY SINGLE DEPARTMENT, BUT THERE'S SOME DEPARTMENTS WHERE THAT'S GOING TO WORK WELL, BUT ONE THING WE FOUND THROUGHOUT ALL THESE METHODOLOGIES WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THE DESIRE OF THE ELECTED BODY IN TERMS OF WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES AND THERE MAY BE CERTAIN THINGS THAT YOU'LL WANT YOU TOS DO DIFFERENTLY. SO WHAT IS THAT OUTCOME YOU WANT US TO ACHIEVE SO WE CAN BRING BACK TO YOU RECOMMENDATIONS TO ACHIEVE THAT. THAT'S WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW. I MEAN, WHAT YOU
[01:10:03]
DESCRIBED IS HOW WE'RE DOING IT NOW. I GUESS -->> SO I DESCRIBE BOTH, WHAT WE CURRENTLY DO AND THEN THE ENHANCEMENT THAT WE WILL DO WITH THIS RECOMMENDATION, WHICH IS A MORE STRATEGIC APPROACH BECAUSE WE'LL PROVIDE YOU A PLAN THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO LAY OUT WHAT DEPARTMENTS ARE GOING TO BE DOING CERTAIN THINGS AND THEN ASKING FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE PRIORITIES WITHIN CERTAIN PROGRAMS OR CERTAIN DEPARTMENTS AS WELL AS THOSE DESIRED OUTCOMES AS WELL. OKAY. I MEAN, BECAUSE I GUESS MY CONCERN IS THAT IF YOU'RE TELLING ME THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE GOING TO BE DOING A BUDGET WHERE THE CITY COUNCIL WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DELIVER ITS PRIORITIES, THEN I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT. I DON'T THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING THOUGH. YEAH. SO, YOU KNOW, I GUESS WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS THAT THE PRIORITIES OF THE COUNCIL HAVE CHANGED OVER TIME THROUGHOUT THE TIME OF THE PRIORITIES CHANGING AT THE CITY COUNCIL, THE CITY HAS MAINTAINED A VERY HIGH BOND RATING AND STRONG FISCAL MANAGEMENT POLICIES. WHAT ARE WE AIMING TO DO DIFFERENTLY BY GETTING, YOU KNOW, SOME CONSULTANTS COMING IN AND HELPING US THROUGH THAT PROCESS, IF THAT'S ESSENTIALLY THE
PROCESS WE'RE ALREADY USING? >> SO MAYOR, I'LL ANSWER. IF WE WEREN'T SITTING IN HERE RIGHT NOW TALKING ABOUT THIS AT GOVERNANCE, WE ARE IN A POSITION WHERE EXPENSES ARE GROWING FASTER THAN REVENUE, AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE, AS ON ORGANIZATION, A LOT MORE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW WE GROW AND MANAGE EXPENSES JUST
PERIOD. AGREED. YEAH. >> SO -- AND YOU'RE RIGHT. THE PRIORITIES CHANGE. THEY DEVELOP. THEY EVOLVE. THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE GO THROUGH THE GOAL SETTING AND ADJUST AS WE GO THROUGH TIME. THE RECOMMENDATION HERE, AS IT RELATES TO THE CCR, IS THAT WE SHOULD BEGIN EMPLOYING ALL THOSE METHODOLOGIES AND A BIG PART OF -- REGARDLESS OF THE METHOD, IS THE ESTABLISHMENT -- THIS IS THE PROCESS OTHER CITIES HAVE GONE THROUGH -- THE ESTABLISHMENT OF WHAT IS CORE, WHAT ARE THINGS WE NEED TO DO THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO, AND WHAT ARE THINGS WE WANT TO DO. EVEN IF THERE'S DEBATE ABOUT 10% OF THAT, ESTABLISHING THAT FOR THE OTHER 90% OR RE-ESTABLISHING OR REAFFIRMING IT FOR THE 90%, BECAUSE EVERYBODY KNOWS THAT INFRASTRUCTURE IS A PRIORITY. EVERYBODY KNOWS WE HAVE A STRATEGIC HOUSING IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. WE HAVE DEMONSTRATED COMMITMENT AND PRIORITIZATION OF PUBLIC SAFETY. BUT IT ALLOWS US TO RESTRUCTURE BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, WHAT RUNS THROUGH EVERY DEPARTMENT ARE A LITANY OF PROGRAMS. THOSE PROGRAMS, WE HAVE HIGH PRIORITY PROGRAMS. WE HAVE LOW PRIORITY PROGRAMS. WE HAVE SOME PROGRAMS THAT WE DO, LIKE NEIGHBORHOOD PATROL, THAT ARE DESIGNED TO BE ABLE TO TOUCH A MILLION AND A HALF PEOPLE ON ANY GIVEN DAY. WE HAVE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE SMALLER POPULATIONS. THE QUESTION IS GOING TO BE, NO DOUBT IT'S GOING TO BE ULTIMATELY A LOT MORE WORK THAT WE SHOULD GO THERE. IT'S ALSO GOING TO BE, I THINK, IMPORTANT FOR THE COUNCIL TO SEE THE VIEW OF WHERE WE SPEND OUR MONEY BY PROGRAMS BECAUSE -- AND MARIE SAID THIS IN HER PRESENTATION. WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES OF COUNCIL? THAT SHOULD ULTIMATELY DRIVE THE PROGRAM DELIVERY. SO IT'S A LOT MORE INTENSE.
I MEAN, BASED ON WHERE I THINK WE'RE AT FINANCIALLY, WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO DO A BETTER JOB OF THAT. I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY THAT BUT FOR COVID, THIS IS SOMETHING WE WOULD HAVE CONTINUED TO DO, BUT WE PUT A PAUSE ON IT BECAUSE WE REDUCED BUDGETS, LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE IN '20 AND '21 AND STARTED BUILDING BACK UP IN HIGH GROWTH YEARS.
SO IT'S TIME TO GET BACK TO THOSE METHODS. OKAY. WELL, SO THIS YEAR'S BUDGET'S PRETTY TOUGH. WE'RE TAKING A PRETTY HARD LOOK AT THINGS RIGHT NOW. YOU KNOW, WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS THAT THIS IS SOMETHING WE OUGHT TO BE DOING ON AN ANNUAL BUDGET YEAR REGARDLESS, ELEMENTS OF ALL OF THESE THINGS. WHAT YOU DESCRIBED, MARIA, IS ELEMENTS OF ALL THESE THINGS THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IN THE BUDGET WITH
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THE EXCEPTION OF THE TIME WE WERE ADDING TO THE BUDGET DURING COVID.SO THE LAST THING I'LL SAY ON THIS IS THAT, THIS CANNOT BE A METHOD BY WHICH WE ARE CHANGING THE PRIORITIES OF THE CITY COUNCIL BECAUSE EVEN THROUGH THE PROCESS OF COVID, WE WERE DELIVERING ON THE PRIORITIES OF CITY COUNCIL. WHAT I SEE MISSING FROM THE DETERMINATION OF CORE SERVICES ARE THOSE THINGS REQUIRED BY CITY CHARTER, LOCAL ORDINANCES, STATE AND FEDERAL LAWS, MOST OF THE PRIORITIES OF COUNCIL ARE NOT REQUIRED BY ANY OF THAT. YOU KNOW, WE STARTED DOWN THE ROAD OF AN AFFORDABLE HOUSING PLAN.
THAT'S NOT REQUIRED BY ANY OF THOSE, YOU KNOW, STATUTES OR LAWS. SO, AGAIN, I HEARD FROM COUNCILMEMBER WHITE IN FILING THIS THAT WE'RE WASTING A BUNCH OF MONEY. IF THE IDEA THAT WASTE IS COMING FROM PROGRAMS YOU DON'T AGREE ON, THEN I DO HAVE A PROBLEM WITH WHERE THIS IS GOING, BUT IF IT'S AN EFFORT TO GET BACK TO WHERE WE WERE IN REALLY SHAKING LOOSE ALL OF THE CITY DEPARTMENTS AND FINDING OUT WHERE WE CAN BE A LITTLE BIT MORE NIMBLE, I'M FINE WITH THAT. BUT I WOULD SUGGEST TO YOU WI -- ALL OF US, THAT'S WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING.
I DON'T WANT TO SPEND A BUNCH MUCH MONEY ON CONSULTANTS TO GET RIGHT BACK TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY. AGAIN, I THINK MORE DISCUSSION'S WARRANTED. GLAD EVERYTHING IS MOVING FORWARD. I THINK WE
HAVE A GOOD DIRECTION ON ALL OF THIS. >> CAN I ADD ONE THING,
MAYOR? >> SURE. >> I'LL AMPLIFY WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. REGARDLESS OF OUTCOME, PRIORITY, PROGRAMS, ZERO-BASED BUDGETING, OR THE METHOD, REGARDLESS OF METHOD, COUNCIL PRIORITIZATION TRUMPS ALL BECAUSE IT'S ULTIMATELY GOES BACK TO
THE ELECTED BODY. >> THIS IS WHERE THE MESSAGE THAT WE SEND FROM THIS BODY IS VERY IMPORTANT. THROUGHOUT ALL OF THOSE CHANGING PRIORITIES, THROUGHOUT THE PANDEMICS AND, YOU KNOW, THE RECESSIONS AND THE MEMORIAL DAY DISASTERS, THE CITY HAS BEEN VERY WELL FISCALLY MANAGED AND RESPONSIVE TO THE COMMUNITY'S PRIORITIES AS REFLECTED ON THIS CITY COUNCIL. SO I REJECT ANY NOTION THAT SOMEHOW WE'RE NOT DOING IT RIGHT. I THINK OUR COMMUNITY CUSTOMER SERVICE RATINGS WOULD AMPLIFY THAT AS WELL AS OUR BOND RATINGS, HOW WE'RE VIEWED IN TERMS OF OUR CREDIT WORTHINESS. LET'S MOVE FORWARD THOUGHTFULLY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CONTINUING TO DELIVER ON OUR COMMUNITY'S PRIORITIES. LAST THING I'LL SAY IS THAT WE DID MAKE A MONUMENTAL SHIFT IN THE WAY WE BUDGETED 7 YEARS AGO WHEN WE SAID WE WERE GOING TO ABANDON ROUGH PROPORTIONALITY. THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT MOVING FORWARD. I HOPE THAT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, THERE WILL BE A WHOLE NEW GROUP UP HERE, BUT I HOPE AS WE MOVE FORWARD AND ADOPT MORE RIGOROUS, YOU KNOW, SHAKING AND EMPTYING OF POCKETS EVERY YEAR, THAT WE DON'T ABANDON THE EQUITY-BASED BUDGETING PRINCIPLES. THERE ARE STILL, FOR THE NEXT GENERATION AND MORE, GOING TO BE COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN UNDERINVESTED IN AND THAT WILL CONTINUE TO NEED MORE ATTENTION AND FOCUS, PARTICULARLY ON ISSUES LIKE HOUSING, THAT WILL NEVER GET CAUGHT UP IF WE GO BACK TO THE WAY WE DID IT BEFORE WITH RESPECT TO PROPORTIONALITY. THAT I WILL SAY UNTIL I'M BLUE IN THE FACE. SO WITH THAT, THERE IS A MOTION AND SECOND FOR STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS ON ALL THE ITEMS. FOR THE RECORD, I GUESS THE ONE ON SUBSURFACE UTILITIES WILL EVENTUALLY WORK ITS WAY THROUGH MUC FOR A BRIEFING. ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? ALL RIGHT. ALTHOUGH IN FAVOR SAY EYE. ANY OPPOSED? MOTION CARRIES. THAT'S IT. WE MADE IT. 3:24 P.M., WE'RE
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.